Heater apparatus

ABSTRACT

A portable heater includes a housing having an access door providing for receiving a fuel tank within the housing. The access door provides for insertion and removal of the fuel tank through the door. A burner within the housing is connected to the fuel tank and emits a flame above the housing. A vertical transparent tube extends above the burner and encompasses the flame along an entire height of the tube. A protective grill surrounds the tube and extends at least as far as the top of the protective grill. An upper cover assembly mounts to the top of the protective grill. The flame is enclosed extending up the tube along the entire height of the tube and creates a glowing vertical element from the housing to the cover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to a heater apparatus and inparticular to a heater apparatus having a vertical tube containing aflame exposed along its length and extending from a bottom base to a topcover.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Outdoor patio type heaters have become commonplace and are widely usedfor providing radiant heat. Such heaters typically use a gas for fuelsuch as propane. Well known configurations for outdoor heaters typicallyinclude a burner connected to a portable refillable fuel tank at abottom portion of the heater. The burner emits a flame that is deflecteddownward by a top cover on the heater. Heat is therefore deflected andradiated outward from the heater. Such heaters have an advantageousconfiguration as the flame is raised upward above users' normal seatedposition so that the heaters may be particularly well suited forplacement for outdoor dining or where persons may be standing, as theflame is raised upward and heat is radiated from a more advantageousposition that provides heating at a level of the intended users and isless likely to cause injuries such as from accidental burns.

An improvement to such heaters provides a tube extending verticallyabove the burner to encompass a portion of the flame. Moreover, someheaters include guards that extend upward about the tube to keep handsand other body parts from touching the tube, which may become quite hot.Moreover, the guards provide a degree of protection against breaking thetube.

Such heaters still have some drawbacks as the flame may often flareabove the top of the tube and deflects outward to create a potentialsafety hazard with the flame exposed. The exposed flame is therefore ata greater risk of being blown out in windy locations. In addition, theguards have exposed edges that may provide a safety hazard and may notprovide desired strength and support. Moreover, such heaters have ahousing that requires removal of a panel to access the fuel tank so thatchanging the fuel tank is a time consuming task.

It can be seen that a new and improved portable outdoor heater is neededthat provides a safe, reliable and convenient heat source whileproviding a visually distinctive glow. Moreover, such a heater shouldprovide safeguards around the glowing tube portion without risk ofinjury from sharp edges and providing greater structural integrity. Sucha device should also provide easy access for safely and quickly changingfuel tanks. The present invention addresses these as well as otherproblems associated with portable outdoor gas heaters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a heater apparatus and in particular toan outdoor gas type heater. The heater includes a triangular frameforming a lower housing. The housing includes a burner and a fuel tankwith an access door providing access for changing the fuel tank and foractuating the burner controls. The frame is generally configured as atriangular frame with upright members extending at each of three cornersof the triangular profile formed by the frame. The upright membersgenerally include an outer rectangular support portion providingrigidity and structural integrity to the frame. A transparent tubeextends upward from the housing above the burner and extends to a topcover. Protective grates attach to the upright members and provideprotection around the transparent tube. The tube extends the length ofthe frame to above the top of the protective grate members and providesa visually glowing appearance along its entire length between the coverand the lower housing when the flame is lit. The tube also provides formore reliably maintaining a lit flame and improving safety at the topcover.

In operation, the heater is started by opening the access door on thelower housing to gain access to the controls. The gas valve is turned onby opening up a control valve with an actuating knob to set the gas flowat desired rate. The igniter is then activated to light the burner. Theflame from the burner shoots upward on the interior of the transparenttube. When the flame has been lit, the gas flow is set by the controlknob so that the flame extends upward along the entire length of theexposed portion of the transparent tube. This provides an aestheticallypleasing glowing effect along the entire vertical length of the tube andprovides for radiating heat outward from the tube. It can also beappreciated that in some embodiments, a remote control may be utilizedto actuate the burner controls and igniter. The heater is turned off bysimply stopping the flow of gas to the burner with the control knob. Ifthe tank should become empty, the fitting is simply loosened from theline leading to the gas tank and the tank is then removed through theaccess door. A full tank is then inserted into the housing and thefitting is reattached. Valves on the tank itself are opened so that gascan flow to the controls and ultimately to the burner.

These features of novelty and various other advantages that characterizethe invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexedhereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding ofthe invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use,reference should be made to the drawings that form a further parthereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there isillustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference letters andnumerals indicate corresponding structure throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a portable heater according to theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the portable heater shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the housing and burner assembly for theheater shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the burner assembly shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the flame tube for the heater shown in FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, thereis shown a portable outdoor heater apparatus, generally designated 10.The heater 10 includes a burner assembly, generally designated 12, asshown in FIG. 2. The burner assembly 12 provides a flame that extendsupward and radiates through an emitting assembly 14. A top cover 18extends above the emitting assembly 14. A lower housing 42 retains theburner assembly 12 and a refillable and interchangeable fuel tank 60,such as a conventional propane tank. Frame upright portions 24 extend atthe three corners to support the cover 18 and protective grills 26. Theframe members 24 form a frame having substantially triangular profilewith an upright member 24 at each of the three corners of the triangle.Each of the frame upright members 24 includes a square corner supportportion 28 providing additional rigidity and structural integrity.

The frame members 24 extend from the top of the lower housing 42. Thehousing 42 includes panels 44 on two sides of the housing 42 and anaccess door 46 on the third side. The access door 46 includes a handle48 and hinges 50 and opens to allow access to the burner assembly 12 andthe fuel tank 60. In a preferred embodiment, the door 46 extendssubstantially between the corners of the triangular lower housing 42.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, the burner assembly 12 includes a controlunit 40. The burner assembly 12 also includes a burner nozzle 62, aburner drawer 64 and a gas line fitting 66. An igniter 68 provides forlighting the burner 12 for the heater apparatus 10. A control knob 36controls the gas flow for ignition and the size of the flame. The fueltank 60 is positioned completely within the housing 42 and rests on asupport base 52. The fuel tank 60 is easily connected and disconnectedfrom the fitting 66 so that the tank 60 may be easily replaced whenempty. It can be appreciated in some embodiments the adjustment knob 36may be replaced with remote control 58, which may also actuate theigniter 68. The access door 46 is sufficiently large so that the fueltank may be easily inserted and removed through the door and allcontrols are easily reached and viewed.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the heater 10 provides an improvedlight and heat emitting assembly 14. A tube 30 is made of glass or othertransparent material that allows light from the flame to be seen throughthe tube 30. The transparent tube 30 extends from an opening above theburner assembly 12 up through the tube 30 to a position extending abovethe top of the protective grates 26. The transparent tube 30 extends toa collar extending down from the cover 18. In this manner, the top ofthe flame extends directly into a volume defined by the cover 18 andprotected from the wind and other weather elements. Such a configurationprovides for improved reliability of the heater 10 as the likelihoodthat the flame may be accidentally extinguished decreases.

Moreover, it can be appreciated that the transparent tube 30 extendingthe full length from the burner assembly 12 to the cover 18 provides forimproved visual impression and better aesthetics as the entire tube 30is given a glowing appearance along its entire vertical length from thelower housing 42 to the cover. The improved appearance provides for alight source that is aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, its configurationprovides for a pleasing overall appearance of the heater 10.

To operate the heater 10, the access door 46 is opened so that thecontrol unit controls 40 are easily accessed and operated. To light theflame, the gas supply is turned on by the control knob 36. When propergas flow has been obtained, the igniter 68 is activated until the flameis lit. The flame extends upward from the burner 12 inside thetransparent tube 30. The flame is adjusted until it extends only alongthe entire length of the vertical tube 30 and provides an anestheticallypleasing glow along the entire length of the tube 30. In a preferredoperating mode, the flame extends only to fill the transparent tube 30rather than upward to impinge the cover 18 and flare outward with theflame exposed. This provides greater safety while proper control of theflame improves safety and increases the likelihood that a lit flame ismaintained. To turn off the heater 10, the gas flow is simply stopped byactuating the control knob 36. When the flame is out of fuel and the gasflow stops, the heater 10 simply goes out.

When the fuel tank 60 is empty, changing is easily accomplished with thepresent heater 10. The access door 46 is opened and the gas line for thetank 60 is disconnected from the fitting 66. The empty tank 60 is simplypulled out through the large access door 46 and a full tank 60 isreplaced and set in the housing 42 on the base 52. The fitting 66 isthen reconnected and a valve on the fuel tank 60 is opened. The heater10 is then again ready for operation.

It can be appreciated that in some embodiments, a remote control 58 maybe utilized for actuating the burner 12 and igniter 68 and for shuttingoff the burner 12 and the flame. Moreover, it can be appreciated thatthe heater 10 may include anchors for permanently fixing the framemembers 24 to the ground. Wheels 54 may be optionally affixed to thehousing 42 to provide for transporting the heater 10 when not in use.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention tothe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms inwhich the appending claims are expressed.

1. A heater apparatus, comprising: a housing; a burner within thehousing and emitting a flame; a vertical tube above the burner andhaving the flame extend therein the length of the tube; a protectivegrill surrounding the tube; wherein the tube extends at least as far asthe top of the protective grill.
 2. A heater apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising an upper cover assembly mounted to the topof the protective grill.
 3. A heater apparatus according to claim 2,wherein the cover assembly comprises an angled cover.
 4. A heaterapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an accessdoor providing access to the burner.
 5. A heater apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising a fuel tank within the housing connected tothe burner.
 6. A heater apparatus according to claim 5, wherein thehousing comprises an access door and wherein the access door providesfor insertion and removal of the fuel tank.
 7. A heater apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the protective grill comprises elementshaving rectangular elements at an outermost portion.
 8. A heaterapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tube extends into a lowerportion of the cover assembly.
 9. A heater apparatus according to claim1, wherein the burner creates a flame and wherein the flame extends upthe tube along an entire height of the tube.
 10. A heater apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the tube comprises an at least partiallytransparent material and where in the flame extends up the tube alongthe entire height of the tube and creates a glowing vertical elementfrom the housing to the cover.
 11. A heater according to claim 1,wherein the housing comprises a three sided housing.
 12. A heateraccording to claim 1, wherein the protective grill comprises threesides.
 13. A heater according to claim 1, wherein the burner comprises agas burner.
 14. A heater according to claim 1, further comprising wheelsfor moving the heater.
 15. A heater apparatus, comprising: a housinghaving an access door; a fuel tank within the housing, wherein theaccess door provides for insertion and removal of the fuel tank; aburner within the housing connected to the fuel tank and emitting aflame above the housing; a vertical tube above the burner and having theflame extending therein along an entire height of the tube; a protectivegrill surrounding the tube; wherein the tube extends at least as far asthe top of the protective grill; an upper cover assembly mounted to thetop of the protective grill; wherein the tube comprises an at leastpartially transparent material and wherein the flame extends up the tubealong the entire height of the tube and creates a glowing verticalelement from the housing to the cover.
 16. A method for lighting aportable outdoor heater apparatus having a housing having an access doorat one side of the housing and a fuel tank with a control valve withinthe housing, a burner assembly within the housing connected to the fueltank and including an igniter, an least partially transparent verticaltube above the burner, a protective grill surrounding the tube, whereinthe tube extends at least as far as the top of the protective grill, andan upper cover assembly mounted to the top of the protective grill; themethod comprising: opening the control valve to begin flow of fuel fromthe fuel tank to the burner assembly; actuating the igniter assembly tolight the fuel flowing from the fuel tank to create a flame extending upfrom the burner assembly into the vertical tube; and adjusting thecontrol valve so that the flame extends up the vertical tube only to atop end of the vertical tube and creates a glow along the entire lengthof the vertical tube.